Biology 1201A Lecture Notes - Georges Cuvier, Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte De Buffon, Mendelian Inheritance
5 Dec 2012
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The theory of evolution: what is a theory, historical development of evolutionary thought, darwinian evolution, road map for the evolution course. What is a theory? common vernacular: an untested idea or opinion; speculation scientific definition, an explanation of a set of natural phenomena, based upon proven or testable hypotheses and observations. Early evolutionary thought static classification and characterization: aristotle (384-322 bce) & the scala natura, natural theology (1700s, carl von linne & the. Linnean system (1707-78: le comte de buffon (1707-1788) but vestigial traits. Jean-baptiste lamarck (1744-1829) species evolve to better fit their environment birth birth. Ra birth use/disuse time inheritance of acquired trait. A. many cave-dwelling organisms are blind and/or lack developed eyes. Payne (1910) raised 49 generations of fruit flies in the dark. B. weisman (1889) cut off the tails of 5 generations of rats. Georges cuvier (1769-1832: believed in the fixity of species changes in fossil forms a result of repeated catastrophic events and new creations ( catastrophism")
